How do science centres, festivals and museums capture the real impact of what they do? Informal learning is rich, social and often transformative — but its impact can be difficult to evidence.

Capturing Impact in Informal Learning Institutions: A Practical Evaluation Guide is a newly published toolkit designed to help organisations evaluate and articulate their impact more effectively. Led by Dr. Neta Shaby and Dr. Ran Peleg from the Mathematics and Science Education research centre at the University of Southampton , this guide expands the approach of the Impact Measuring Toolkit for Museums to support a wider range of informal learning settings, including pop-up events and festivals.

Developed through collaboration between the University of Southampton, Winchester Science Centre, Edinburgh Science Festival and Exeter Science Centre, the guide brings together research expertise and practitioner insight. It offers a clear, step-by-step framework for developing evaluation strategies that are practical, flexible and tailored to organisational needs.

The guide combines guidance on defining impact with a set of adaptable tools — from quick visitor feedback to in-depth qualitative methods — all grounded in real-world use. Together, these approaches support organisations to improve practice, reflect on learning experiences, and communicate value to stakeholders.

This toolkit is a valuable resource for informal learning institutions looking for practical, evidence-informed ways to capture the full breadth of their impact.

You can access the guide here: 16-impact-measuring-toolkit-for-museums | Southampton Education School | University of Southampton